THE ARBOR DOCTOR

Trees injected in bid to stop beetles>>>

SW Ohio Folks,

Flowering pear season has begun!  Yes, all of those blooming white flowering trees along the roadways, parks, and in the woods are invasive callery pear.  I find that this is a new problem to most people that I talk to, but we are seeing the beginning of a new invasive plant.  And yes, it is all callery pears.  This is the Bradford pear, as well as all the cultivars that we have been planting like Cleveland Select, Aristocrat, Red Spire, Autumn Blaze, Capital, Trinity, etc. 

Now you might be asking yourself that since all of us (yes all of us have planted our share of flowering pear trees) have spent good money on Callery pears, then these are just great free trees!  Right?  Well, no.  Original cultivars of callery pear were self sterile and very desirable urban trees. But cross pollination among many individuals of varied cultivars resulted in pollination, fruiting and spread from urban areas into the countryside. The progeny tend to be stout, thorny and multiple stemmed and are not as appealing or attractive as the original cultivars.  The European starling, a non-native invasive bird is associated with this tree. The starling can be a serious nuisance in urban areas.

One of the reasons that we liked flowering pears is that they are so tough and will thrive anywhere.  They are colonizing waste areas and open fields, and it is very tough to control.  Most of you are eyeing all of the greening bush honeysuckle this time of year.  Look carefully and you will see that callery pear will pop up among the honeysuckle.  Yes, callery pear is out competing exotic bush honeysuckle! 

We are lucky to have a champion for us in SW Ohio, Theresa Culley with University of Cincinnati.  Dr. Culley is doing research on callery pear.  I have attached her website so you can learn more about this new problem.  I have also attached ODNR’s Weed of the Month handout that you are welcome to use and share.  If you have flowering pear growing where it wasn’t planted, please take a moment to take a picture and tell me its location.  This way we can get a better handle on how wide spread the problem is.  I appreciate your help with this. 

 Theresa Culley’s Callery Pear research - http://www.biology.uc.edu/faculty/culley/theresa.html

What are invasive plants? – ODNR website http://ohiodnr.com/Forestry/tabid/21394/Default.aspx

Now I am by no means recommending that you go out and cut down all of your flowering pear trees.  But what I would like each and every one of you to do is not to plant them, or not many more of them.  There are so many flowering pear trees in our communities that there are lots of them to admire in your neighbor’s yard.  Take this opportunity to plant a few other white flowering trees and there are lots of them to choose from.  Also, when you are already out there removing honeysuckle and you see flowering pear, go ahead and remove the pear. 

Update on other invasive plants:

Ailanthus Wilt:  Tree-of-Heaven is a big problem for the health of Ohio’s woodlands.  There might be a disease that will be good news, Ailanthus wilt!  Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium albo-atrum was detected on Ailanthus altissima in Pennsylvania in 2002. It is caused by a soil-fungus that infects the vascular tissues of Ailanthus trees. Infected trees die rapidly, typically within a growing season.  It shows promise as a potential biological control agent of Ailanthus.  However, before it can be tested for biocontrol use in Ohio, it must first be found in Ohio.  Print off a copy of the Photoguide.  If you see these symptoms, contact Joanne Rebbeck, USFS, Northern Research Station, Delaware, OH at jrebbeck@fs.fed.us or 740-368-0054

Ailanthus Verticillium Wilt Photoguide – Help Find It in Ohio http://www.ohiodnr.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=YALbjUzVOeM%3d&tabid=21391

Kudzu:  I am hearing more and more and kudzu.   There is assistance out there to eradicate kudzu.  The Forest Service, ODNR Division of Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are working to control kudzu.  You can contact Kristin Westad with the US Fish and Wildlife, http://www.fws.gov/arsnew/regmap.cfm?arskey=24871  -  http://mipn.org/Midwest%20Invasives%20Fact%20Sheets/PDF/kudzu.pdf .  Attached is an Ohio map of known kudzu sites.  If you know of additional sites, please report them. 

I continue to look for invasive weed sites in SW Ohio.  If you have Callery pear, kudzu, honeysuckle, Japanese knotweed, etc. in your communities, please report them to me so I can add them to my list.  Photos are needed.  Please share your pictures with me! 

Wendi Van Buren

Regional Urban Forester

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Tree-of-heaven (also called ailanthus, Chinese sumac, stinking sumac, stinktree, and stinkwood) is a non-native, invasive tree species from Asia. It has spread throughout this country where it is a nuisance in rural and urban communities alike.  Read more>>>

Japanese Knotweed is a non-native invasive weed.  Read more>>>

by Wendi Van Buren, Regional Urban Forester, Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Reprinted with permission

An invasive plant is a non-native plant which is capable of causing economic and environmental damage, and harm to human health. Invasive plants are characterized by fast growth rates, excessive fruit production, and efficient seed dispersal and germination. Approximately 60 species of invasive plants have been identified in the state of Ohio and their aggressive nature can cause significant negative impacts including:

• Major economic impacts to agriculture and forestry due to reduced productivity and expensive control efforts

• Accelerated damage to aging sewers and building foundations due to aggressive root systems

• Poor sightlines at intersections and along bike trails

• Reduced quality and quantity of wildlife habitat in both communities and natural areas

• Threats to human health (tree-of-heaven sap can cause burns, blistering, and abnormal heart rhythm)

• Increased maintenance of home gardens and community parks where invasive plants become established and displace ornamental plants

• Negative impacts to federally listed threatened and endangered species

• Reduced opportunities for outdoor recreation such as hunting and hiking

Invasive plants are detrimental to communities, agricultural production, and forests and should be controlled to reduce these negative impacts. Considerable effort and expense is invested in Ohio to control invasive plants on both public and private forests and natural areas. But these efforts have little chance of success if invasive plants are not addressed in communities where they are also inflicting significant damage and providing a constant seed source for nearby natural areas.

Attacking invasive plants on two fronts, communities and natural areas, will improve the potential for successful control over the long-term. These efforts will help preserve the natural heritage of our state which will be beneficial for all Ohioans.  If you are interested in learning more about controlling invasive plants where you live, please contact me.